Along with size reduction of an optical module, it is required to reduce the height of an optical fiber used near the optical module (to make the height of the optical fiber whose one end is vertically connected to an electronic substrate or the like from the substrate). In order to reduce the height of the optical fiber, it is necessary to form a bent portion in the optical fiber.
Patent Document 1 discloses an optical fiber component constituted by an optical component main body and an optical fiber and configured such that the optical fiber is obliquely attached so as to form a certain angle (preferably 10° or more) with respect to a center line of the optical component main body. This Patent Document 1 discloses that there is a case where a sharp bend is generated in the optical fiber when the optical fiber is attached obliquely to the center line of the optical component main body, there is a problem that great deformation of the optical fiber is generated in this sharp bent portion so that mechanical reliability of the optical fiber is deteriorated, and the deformation is removed by heating the sharp bent portion in order to secure mechanical reliability of the optical fiber. In addition, Patent Document 1 discloses that electric discharge, a carbon dioxide laser, a gas burner, or the like can be used as heating means for eliminating deformation.
Patent Document 2 discloses an apparatus for bending an optical fiber by continuously heating a certain range of the optical fiber with non-contact heating means while relatively moving the optical fiber and the non-contact heating means. In addition, Patent Document 2 discloses that arc discharge is preferably used as the non-contact heating means.
A manufacturing method disclosed in Patent Document 3 comprises a bent optical fiber forming step of forming a bent optical fiber such that no bending stress deformation remains while heating an optical fiber with a heater or the like, and a ferrule assembling step. The ferrule assembling step is carried out before or after the bent optical fiber forming step, ferrules are inserted into linear parts located at both ends of the bent optical fiber or located at both ends of the optical fiber before subjected to the bent optical fiber forming step, and these ferrules are fixed to the linear parts, respectively, by an adhesive or the like.